Archived: Essex Way Surgery

Updated 15 October 2015

Essex Way Surgery is situated in Benfleet, Essex. The practice is one of 27 practices in the Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group. The practice has a General Medical Services contract with the NHS. There are approximately 5900 patients registered at the practice.

The practice recently registered with the Care Quality Commission with a new provider in June 2015 after a partnership change at the location. The practice has one lead GP who is the sole provider. There is one further full-time salaried GP and two part-time salaried GPs. All GPs at the practice are male but a female GP attends the practice each week to provide a choice for the patients.

The GPs are supported by one practice nurse and a health care assistant. There is a practice manager, a deputy practice manager, and a number of administrative and support staff, working a mixture of full and part-time hours.

The practice is open between 8.am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and they do not close for lunch.

The GPs have morning and afternoon surgeries daily between 9am and 12 noon and between 4pm to 6pm.

The practice does not offer extended hours to their patients during the week. However although the practice is closed at the weekend, they allow the premises to be used by another healthcare provider that provides GPs for patient consultations on Saturdays between 9am and 5pm and Sundays between 9am and 4pm. This is a service for the patients of the Essex Way Surgery and other surgeries in the locality to access.

The practice has opted out of providing 'out of hours’ services which is now provided by Care UK. Patients can also contact the NHS 111 service to obtain medical advice if necessary.

Essex Way Surgery has not previously been inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Updated 15 October 2015

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Essex Way Surgery on 29 September 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, including a health and safety risk assessment.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions. Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority. Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed. All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check that their health and medication needs were being met. For those people with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care. At risk patients received an annual flu vaccination. Staff had received specialist training in diabetes management.

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people. All staff had received safeguarding training for vulnerable children and were supported by policies and processes. An immunisation programme was in place for children that met national guidelines. Patients told us that children and young people were seen on the same day if an emergency and given priority. Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people. The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population. It was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and rapid access appointments for those with enhanced needs. The practice identified patients at risk of an unplanned hospital admission and provided personalised care plans to reduce the risk. A befriending service was available to support older patients who were lonely. A podiatry service was available at the practice for patients to access. Patients over 75 received an annual health check.

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students). The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group. The practice worked with other local GPs to provide weekend appointments on Saturdays and Sundays. Patients could book appointments and order prescriptions on-line.

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). Patients experiencing poor mental health had received an annual physical health check. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia. Patients with dementia were referred to a memory clinic. The practice worked with the Alzheimer’s Society to provide patients, their carers or relatives with advice and guidance about community support available to them. Staff had received training on how to care for people with mental health needs and dementia and patients were referred to the community dementia nurse when needed. A mental health counsellor attended the practice one day each week to provide support for patients suffering with poor mental health.

Updated 15 October 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. The practice held a register of patients with a learning disability and carried out annual health checks. They offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people. It had told vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations. Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.